Bottle vending machine



April 14, 1953 EC. JOHNSON BOTTLE VENDING MACHINE Filed April 11, 1949 2 SHEETS$HEET l INVENTOR.

. f/mefi ado/M50 E- C. JOHNSON BOTTLE VENDING MACHINE April 14, 1953 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed April 11, 1949 lllllllflllllllllllllA fllllllllflilfllllllllll INVENTOR. f/mefi 6,. Jab/7.50

Patented Apr. 14, 1953 BOTTLE VENDING MAom Elmer C. Johnson, Kansas City, Mo., assiel'ior to The Vendo Company.

poration of Missouri Kansas Gity", Mo'.-, a cor- Application April 11, 1949, Serial No. 86 735 7 Claims. (Cl. 194- 63) This invention relates to vending machines and more particularly to control mechanism therefor, the primary object being to provide means for locking the operating mechanism of the machine against customer operation in the absence of deposit of a coin or like medium thereinto, and. to utilize the inserted coin as means for coupling together certain parts and to release locking means as the coin is moved. against such lock.

' The most important object of the present invention is to provide a control mechanism for vending machines of the kind having structure that is manually movable to a position for rendering available an article in the machine, there being a shiftable lock capable Of release by an inserted coin, the mechanism being so formed as to permit partial rotation of the aforesaid manually movable structure to the end that the coin moves against the lock, releases the same, permits continued rotation of the structure for rendering the article accessible, whereupon the coin drops to a receiving box therefor and the look again prevents further operation of the machine until another coin is inserted.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a rotatable member that is secured directly to a manually movable structure forming a part of the machine for rendering available an article therein said rotatable member having a pair of spaced apart plates thereon, one being secured to the shaft for rotation therewith, the other being rotatable on the shaft, said plates being formed and disposed for receiving a coin in: coupling relationship thereto; said coin being movable a predetermined distance within the plate that is free on the shaft for releasing a lock that normally holds the last mentioned plate against rotation, all to the end that the entire machine is rendered operable only upon the'insertion of a proper coin.

Other important Objects including details of construction, will be made clear or become apparent as the following specification progresses,

reference being had to the accompanying draw ing, wherein:

Figure l is a top plan view'of a bottle vending machine having an access disc disposed on a horizontal plane made in accordance with the present invention, parts being broken away and in section to reveal details of construction.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken on line II'1I of Fig. 1.

Fi 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line III-III of Fig; 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the index plate shown in Figs. 2 and 3 entirely removed from the remaining parts of the control mechanism.

Fig. 5 is an edge elevational View of the index plate.

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the upper'-' most retainer plate illustrated ill Figs. 2 and 301 the drawing, showing the same entirel removed from the associated mechanism.

Fig. 7 is a cro s=sectiona1 view taken on irregu- 18.! line VII-VII of'Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows: and v Fig. 8 is a detailed, fragmentary, crosssectional View taken on line VIII-V111 of Fig. 1.

The vending machine about to be" described is, of course; provided with an insulated case that is broadly designated by the numeral In, and the drawings in detail has not been shown" in because the same forms no invention. v 7 I 7 Case In is hollow, adapted to be refrigerated, and provided with a lid I! that is mounted through the medium of a pair of hinges I4, covers the entire open top' of the case l0 and is provided with a suitable lock'not shown.

part of the present A circular opening [6' is formed in the lid l2,

said opening being closed by a disc I8 that is rotatably mounted within the opening H5 in overlyingyrelationship' to an open top, bottle receiving magazine 20.

Magazine 20" is in turn provided with a plurality of stalls 22' for the individual bottles 24 to opening 30 so formed and disposed above the stalls22 as to permit removal of bottles 2'4 singly from" the magazine 20 the'disc I8 is rotated in step-by-st'ep manner. A cover 32 hinged as at t l-covers the open'ing 30' and is provided with an upstanding finger grip 36" that' is grasped by the'operator to permit manual rotation of disc IS.

A pair of intermeshing gears 38" and 4B are mounted within the double wall construction of the lid l2. The gear 38 is freely' rotatable upon a vertical shaft that is'joinecl to the inner: most-wall 0f lid IZdfid' than upstanding'bracket It is.

dition. Bracket 52 has its legs joined by a dividing strap 54. Shaft 50 extends downwardly through strap 54 and through the bight of bracket 52 for free rotation therein.

A circular retainer plate 56, as shown in Figs. 6 and '7, is provided with a centrally-perforated, downwardly-extending hub 56 that .circumscribes and is keyed directly to the shaft 50 immediately below the cross strap 54. Plate 56 is provided with a plurality of radial slots 60 that extend inwardly from the peripheral edge of plate 56.

Underlying each slot 60 respectively and secured directly to the lowermost face of plate 56 is a receiving member 62 for a coin 64. This receiving member 62 includes a pair of spacedapart, downturned ears 66 that are joined at their outermost edges by a cross bar 68. Each car 66 is provided with an outturned flange I0 that is spot welded or otherwise affixed directly to, the lowermost face of plate 56. As shown in Figs. 2, 6 and '7, the space between the ears 66 is in direct alignment and coextensive in length with the respective slot 60.

YAn index plate broadly designated by the numeral I2, and detailed in Figs. 4 and 5, has a central opening 14 formed therein for loosely receiving the shaft 50, said index plate 12 being disposed in direct underlying relationship to the hub '58 of retainer plate 56'and resting upon a washer 16 that, in turn, is supported by the bight of bracket 52. The plate I2 is provided with a pair of upstanding stub pins I8 and a pair of shorter, upstanding stub pins 80 arranged as illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. Plate 56 has a pair of diametrically-opposed, downwardly-extending pins 82, and each pin 82 is connected with a corresponding pin I8 by a coil spring 84.

' As shown in Fig. 2, each pair of ears 66 is disposed between one pin 30 and one of the next adjacent, longer pins I8, all to the end that rotation of shaft 50 and consequently plate 56 that is rigid thereto is limited to the distance between pins 80 and the next following pin I8 when plate I2 is held against rotation. The plate 12 is provided with a number of substantially rectangular openings 86, there being an opening 86 corresponding to and normally in direct underlying relationship to a respective slot 60 in plate 56.

The outermost periphery of the plate 12 is provided with a number of elongated notches 88 between all of the openings 86, each notch 88 being provided with a relatively short recess 90. A substantially L-shaped latch 92 is swingably mounted upon the bight of bracket 52 by a pivot bolt or the like 94, latch 92 having a short leg 96 that is adapted to fit within any one of the recesses 90 of plate 12. Latch 92 has a downwardly extending pin 98 that receives one end of a coil spring I00, the opposite end of spring I00 being secured directly to one edge of the bight of bracket 52, as shown in Fig. 2.

The bight of bracket 52 is cut away to present a slot IOI for clearing the pin 98. Accordingly, spring I00 serves to hold the leg 96 of latch 92 4 biased against the periphery of plate I2. A projection I02 secured to the latch 92 intermediate the ends thereof extends laterally into overlying relationship to the uppermost marginal edge of the plate I2 and, as shown in Fig. 3, overlaps a portion of the openings as the latter move therebelow through rotation of plate I2.

A slug rejector of any conventional character and broadly designated by the numeral I04 is secured to one leg of bracket 52 and to the uppermost face of strap 54 by a bracket I06. The

outlet opening of slug rejector I04 (not shown) is in direct overlying alignment with an elongated slot I08 formed longitudinally within the strap 54. The slot I08, also, overlies each of the slots 60 of plate 56' as the latter is rotated in step-by-step manner as hereinafter more fully set forth.

Coins of a proper predetermined character are inserted into the machine by means of a. slot IIO formed in the lid I2 of cabinet I0, which slot IIO registers with a chute II2 that, in turn, communicates with the inlet opening of slug rejector I04. Slugs may be returned to the operator by pressing downwardly upon a plunger II4 that extends above the top of lid I2 and bears at its lowermost end against a swingably-mounted link I I6 forming a part of slug rejector I04.

Such returned slugs pass into a chute II8 that extends downwardly through the strap 54 in register with the slot I08 and thence outwardly through an opening (not shown) in one leg of bracket 52. Chute H0 is provided with an elongated, inclined stretch I20 that underlies a portion of the slot I08 and terminates in an open end adjacent the periphery of retainer plate 56.

Assuming the component parts of the control mechanism to be formed and arranged as above set forth, its operation is as follows:

With spring I00 holding latch 92 normally locked with respect to one of the recesses 90, plate 12 is held against rotation. Limited rotation of the disc I8 by the operator is possible, however, even with plate I2 locked against rotation. Such limited rotation of the disc I8, in turn, rotates the intermeshing gears 38 and 40 and, consequently, the shaft 50. As shaft 50 commences to rotate, one of the ears 66 of two pairs thereof will move against the longer stub pins 18 and plate I2 will, accordingly, prevent further rotation of disc I8.

Obviously, counter rotation of the disc I8 is prevented by certain of the cars 66 striking the short stub pins 80. When such partial rotation of the disc I8 is attempted, springs 84 will yield and, as soon as the operator releases disc I8,

springs 84 will return'the plate 56 to a normal position with two of the downturned ears 66 bearing against stub pins 80. Such limited rotation of the disc I8 is not sufiicient to permit the operator to remove a bottle 24 from one of the stalls 22 by swinging closure 32 to an open position.

' Proper operation of the machine necessitates the insertion of a coin into slot IIO for passage through chute II2 into slug rejector I04 and thence outwardly from slug rejector I04 into slot I08 of strap 54. The coin 64 then drops downwardly into the particular slot 60 that is in alignment with slot I08. Coin 64 comes to rest upon its edge on the uppermost face of the bight of bracket 52. .When in this position, a portion of the coin 64 is embraced by the spaced-apart ears 66, and a portion of the coin 64 is within one of the openings 86 of the plate 'l2.

The operator then grasps the grip 36 and r tates the'disc I8 in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1. As plate 56 and its downturned ears 68 rotate, coin 64 will be carried therewith and will slide along the uppermost face of the bight of bracket 52 Within one of the openings 86.

Before ears 68 strike the pins 18, coin 64 will move against the lateral projection I02 of latch 92 and swing the same against the action of spring sec to release leg 98 with respect to one of the recesses 98. Thereupon, the shaft 50, the retainer plate 56, the coin es, and the plate I2 will rotate as a unit until coin 6d clears projection I 82 and drops downwardly upon reaching one longitudinal edge of the bight of bracket 52 into a collecting cup (not shown). As soon as coin 64 moves away from extension I02, spring I 80 will hold the leg 98 of latch 92 against the periphery of plate ii for relocking with the respective following recess 98.

In the event an operator attempts to insert a coin into the machine while another coin still rests within a pair of cars 66, such second coin will fall from the slug rejector I04 into the slot I08 and upon the uppermost edge of the coin 84 already within the machine. The second coin will thereupon roll from the slot 60 into the proximal open end of the inclined portion I2!) of chute H8 and outwardly for recovery by the operator.

It is obvious that the arrangement of the openings 60 in plate 58, as well as the openings 88 in plate I2, together with the gearing 38-48 is such as to position outlet opening 38 of disc I8 above only one stall 22 for each step-by-step machine operation. Consequently, the discs 56 and I2 will complete several revolutions for each complete revolution of disc I B. The entire control mechanism is accessible to the repairman, since the same merely depends from the lid I2 and is completely accessible when lid I2 is swung open upon hinges I4.

Means for indicating to a potential customer when the magazine 28 is exhausted of bottles 24 includes an arm I22 that is swingably mounted as at I24 intermediate the ends thereof and upon the uppermost face of the bracket 44. A spring I26 secured at one end to bracket 44 and at the opposite end to arm I22 holds one end of the arm I22 biased against the periphery of disc I8.

This said one end of arm I22 has an offset portion I28 formed thereon designed to enter a recess I30 within disc I8 when disc I8 has rotated to the position where all bottles 24 have been removed from the magazine 20. When the arm I22 swings to the position shown in Fig. 1 with portion I28 thereof in recess I38, a short leg I32 on the opposite end of arm I22 moves in underlying, traversing relationship to slot III), preventing insertion of further coins 64 thereinto. Arm I22, also, carries a small plate I34 having suitable indicia thereon such as "Sold Out, which plate I34 moves into underlying relationship with respect to a transparent panel (not shown) in full view of the potential customer when arm I22 is in the position shown in Fig. 1.

Obviously, the entire machine will be provided with suitable means for maintaining the bottles 24 in a refrigerated condition; but, if articles other than bottles are vended by the machine, then such refrigerating means will become unnecessary. It is obvious that the control structure forming a part of the present invention is virtually foolproof and positively will prevent unauthorized access to the contents of magazine 20 in the absence of coin insertion. The formation Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and'desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Control means ofthe kind described comprising a pair of spaced-apart, rctatablemembershaving means on the proximal faces thereof for receiving a coin in connecting relationship thereto, said means on one of the members being formed to permit movement of the coin with respect to the one member when the other member is partially rotated; parts on said one member disposed for engagement by a portion of said other member for limiting the extent of rotation of the latteryand releasable mechanism for holding the one member against rotation, said mechanism having parts within the path of travel of said coin for releasable engagement thereby, whereby to permit continued rotation of the other member.

2. Control means of the kind described comprising a pair of spaced-apart, rotatable discs having means on the proximal faces thereof for receiving a coin, said means on one of the discs constituting an opening therethrough, there being a wall on the opposite face of said one disc closing said opening, said opening being formed to permit partial rotation in one direction of the other disc and the coin carried thereby separate from said one disc; releasable mechanism for holding the said one disc against rotation and having parts within the path of travel of said coin formed to release said mechanism as the coin is moved, thereby to permit continued rotation of the discs and the coin as a unit in said one direction; and means on the one disc for limiting rotation of the other disc in the opposite direction with respect to the one disc.

3. Coin control means as set forth in claim 2 wherein said last-mentioned means comprises laterally extending pins on said one disc within the path of travel of the other disc.

4. Control means of the kind described comprising a coin disc and a locking disc, said discs being spaced and rotatable, and provided with a number of normally aligned, coin-receiving openings, the openings of the locking disc being larger than the thickness of a coin whereby said coin is rendered movable by the coin disc relative to the locking disc when the coin is within one opening of each disc respectively; interengageable parts on the discs for limiting the extent of rotation of the coin disc; and a releasable latch for holding the locking disc against rotation, said latch being within the path of travel of said coin for release thereby upon partial rotation of the coin disc relative to the locking disc.

5. In a vending machine, an article storage cabinet; a rotatable closure for the cabinet having an access opening; a rotatable shaft coupled with said closure; and structure for controlling the rotation of said closure comprising a pair of spaced, rotatable members having means on the proximal faces thereof for receiving a coin in connecting relationship thereto, said means on one of the members being formed to permit movement of the coin with respect to said one member when the other member is partially rotated, said other member being secured-to the shaft; parts on said one member disposed for engagement by a portion of said other member for limiting the extent of rotation of the latter; and releasable mechanism for holding the one member against rotation, said mechanism having parts within the path of travel of said coin for releasable engagement thereby, whereby to permit continued rotation of the other member.

6. In a vending machine as set forth in claim 5 wherein said coin-receiving means of the members comprise normally aligned openings, the

openings of said one member being wider than the 15 thickness of said coin.

ELMER C. JOHNSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,410,955 Pruitt Mar. 28, 1922 1,703,937 Johnson Mar. 5, 1929 1,990,987 Frick Feb. 12, 1935 2,305,348 King Dec. 15, 1942 2,309,055 Ferris Jan. 19, 1943 2,396,011 Johnson Mar. 5, 1946 

